Stephen Curry's basketball journey is now memorialized in a new book titled Shot Ready.
The 400-page book has more than 100 photos dedicated to trailblazing moments in the NBA star's career from high school, college, and his current dominance in the league.
“We wanted to have something tangible, not just from a sports perspective but from a life perspective and show all the different highs and lows that I’ve been through and what people have instilled in me,” Curry said per PEOPLE. “It just made sense, especially while I’m still under the bright lights on the court playing. It’s a moment of reflection but also for me, it’s a moment to motivate me to keep going and get everything else I can out of this game.”
The book shows moments from Curry's high school, college, and trailblazing NBA career. Curry went to Davidson College from 2006 to 2009 and was drafted No. 7 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, where he remains today. Steph is the son of former NBA player Dell Curry, who originally told the franchise not to draft his son, something that makes the father-and-son duo laugh.
“We joke about it because, honestly, you make decisions based on what you know at the time,” Curry says. “And like you said, you never really know how things will play out. But once they drafted me, there was no hesitation. I was all in on making the Bay my home.”
“In life, we try to control every outcome and overthink every move — and that’s fine, that’s human,” he adds. “But when life hands you an opportunity, you have to go all in. That’s one of my favorite parts of this whole story.”
While a lot of photos capture the highlights of his career, there were low moments such as his ankle injuries that were hurdles he had to face.
“One hurdle early in my career was ankle injuries,” Curry says. “Back then, I didn’t really know the right strategy. I wasn’t healthy. I didn’t know if I’d even get another real chance to prove myself.”
“It was a long road,” he adds. “But it taught me patience, how to run my own race, and how to trust myself. You can’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. When something’s taken away, you realize how much it meant.”
Stephen Curry explains what it means to be “shot ready”
Basketball is not the only sentiment that keeps the Curry name relevant. While Curry is going to enter his 17th season in the league, a lot of his other business ventures are adding to a plethora of interests outside of the court.
“I think I’m just going deeper into the things that are exciting and I’m passionate about,” Curry said who owns a production company, bourbon business, and nonprofit. “Sometimes, it does feel like it’s a lot. But when you get to a project like this or my Underrated golf tour or the bourbon that’s part of just how I get to celebrate life, I’m passionate about sharing all of that with anybody who’ll listen. I feel like it’s going deeper and it’s a part of just being able to extend the platform and the opportunity to things that matter to me.”
Curry's has had a historic amount of success the leagues all-time leader in three-pointers made with 4,058. He's also won four NBA championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022), two NBA MVP Awards (2015, 2016), and Olympic gold medalist, to name a few.
“Success may not always look the way you expect, but it’s attainable for all of us when the rigor of our preparation and the depth of our belief meet the urgency of the moment,” Curry wrote. “That’s what it means to be shot ready.”
Shot Ready is out now.
